Beseiged
Sapphire pulled her cowl tighter over her head. The winds from the storm were harsh, loud and almost unbearable as they tore at the darkened sky. She sat in her carriage as it was being drawn by six of Malefor's cultists, all of them mindless drones bent on following his every command. Next to the ambassador bound in chain and subdued though not necessary, was the unconscious form of the dragon Spyro. The dragoness was puzzled. Malefor had a deep hatred and loathing for this dragon. Yet when he captured him and brought him to her, he was adamant that Spyro be kept alive by any means. The injuries he had sustained in the fight would have killed him, were it not for the small healing skill Sapphire had learned during her studies. Why go through all the trouble? When enemies hated one other, would not their deaths benefit the victor? The lich clearly was not finished with the dragon, not yet.
A deep grumbling sound drew her attention to the left. There she could see him as they trampled their way towards the kingdom of Draconis. The every growing seas of cultists flowed and ebbed around Malefor like the oceans' waves, their chant suttle and endless as they carried both her and their captive towards her resident gates.
"Your queen knows of my coming. What plans will she make for my... arrival?" Malefor hissed.
"The Queen will gather the dragons from the near valleys, hills and burrows, reinforce her guard then attempt to halt your advance by any means. Your reputation, brief as it may be, has left a great impression on the dragon nation."
An amused chuckle rumbled in his eroding throat,"Ever the noble royalty is defending that which is precious to them from any and all threat. How dismal."
He turned to gaze at the dragoness in her confinement, a slight puzzled expression on his scaled face. He never asked Sapphire her reasons for helping him aide in the capture of Spyro. Yet she seemed eager to give her alliegence to him without hesitation. The ambassador must have her own agenda against her kingdom for reasons currently unknown to want to quickly throw her lot in with Malefor. It did not matter. To have such a high piece within his grasp with knowledge of Draconis's castle. It was worth as every bit as Spyro being his captive.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The castle was besieged in the early afternoon, if it was afternoon. Every dragon within flying distance had heeded their Queen's call. They covered the castle walls, dotted the corners and lay waiting for the approaching threat that came at the edge of the storm gathering over head. The storm itself was unnatural they said. As dark as night without the stars nor moon, just the rumble of thunder and the flicker of lightning. Dark magic some murmured. The small dragons were equipped much like their equestrian counter parts: Armor upon the main body with helm and spear at the ready. Wings were left uncovered for the sake of flying. The slower moving were given sword and shield as the main defense while lighter bodies made archers. The more feral brethren stood by the main gate to act as a battering ram if necessary should the forces break through the defenses, though in many minds it was deemed unthinkable.
The cultists were the first to arrive. A writhing sea of dragon, griffon and pony alike, pegasus, unicorn and earth. It mattered not their breed, for their eyes spoke the same: the fanatical lunacy of praising their new god. They crashed against the stone gate, pounding chanting raving, while the casters began prepping arcane offense. The archers let their arrows fly, hearing the whistling sound as the streaking missiles found un protected bodies to strike. An occasional shriek, gasp or sharp cry would arise,yet these were muffled as the mad chant of Malefor continued to echo against the mountain base. For a few minutes this mad wave of bodies and voices pressed and pushed against immovable stone. Then like water receding on the beach, they fell back. Those archers and guards grinned fiercely thinking, such a feeble attempt to break through, their small victory clouded their senses from the dangers taking shape below.
The ground trembled. Tremors began to take hold as the earth began to rebel against every living creature that stepped upon its surface. Great cracks opened up fissures, dark emptiness gazed up at astonished eyes that looked below. Then as quickly as the earthquake had started, it abated. Silence whispered across the air, hushed murmurs of confusion added a thin layer before a shout went out. A hand entirely made of shone gripped the cliff. A strange creature rose from the opening in the ground. It stood on two legs the height close to ten feet. Its shape looked bipedal like a dragon walking on its hind legs, minus the tail. The head was square with two green glowing "eyes". The rest was blank, no nose, mouth or ears to indicate it could speak, hear or even breath. A massive stone chest held imposing rocken arms that ended in those hands now clenched into fists. A fledgling mage Kel, who had been watching this taking place from his perch, was shocked at what he was seeing: a golem, a stone monster created entirely from the earth itself, very formidable in defense and its offense was nothing to sneeze at. A low moan came from the beast as three more began to emerge.
A dragon who was small in stature, Kel lacked the powerful physical prowl and strength of his larger, more aggressive kin. Yet what he lacked in strength, the young dragon made up for in intelligence and wit. To his family's surprise (and a suggestion by his Queen), Kel took on the magical arts. A difficult path for dragons who relied on their breath for such attacks, the court was astounded when the young dragon took up the arts and showed excellent promise. He was to depart to Canterlot as an exchange student in the academy, so that his studies would delve further.
That prospect was hampered as he watched these stone sentries take shape out of the fissure, brought forth by the dark lich.
"By the wings of our queen..." A dragon archer whispered.
"Bring out the ferals!" a guard shouted.
The feral dragons were the ones with the infamous nature of wreaking havoc on small towns, who made their lairs in the mountains or deep caves in the forests. The trouble makers and even to some, the worst of the dragon clans. Yet while their vicious tempers made them feared, it was their profound strength and determination that made them the heavy hitters in any army. That and their loyalty to the Queen. While they may think little of their smaller brethren, they could not disobey an order or command given from their Mother. Deep roars echoed within the walls and near the peak of the mountain before the sound of great wings filled the air. Kel watched as green, reds and yellows descended on the growing army of the golems, sharp teeth and claws leaving long jagged rends in stone flesh. The stone monster showed little reaction or response as the great beasts tore at them tearing the limbs off the stone bodies while some of the heavier ferals grounded the lighter golems into rubble and dust. When the dust settled, the rubble of the once earthen beasts lay around the great beasts followed by cheers and roars from the castle turrents.
The earth began to rumble once more, silencing the once cheering soldiers on high. Broken stone and rock started to move on its own, the fissure where they came from seemed to call out. Rolling about, the remaining scattered pieces skipped about the ground as the chunks and debris retreated back to the opening gap that was between the ferals and the cultists. The tremors softened, then eased as all fell silent once more. The cultists never so much as moved a wing or muscle. They stared with blank expressions in their eyes, their posture almost like that of a statue. Some were beginning to think that for all the rumors and tales surrounding this threat, perhaps it was greatly exaggerated to spread unnecessary fear among the citizens. The ferals re-grouped at the gate, their eyes alert with caution as they awaited the next wave foolish enough to be sent forth to challenge the dragons own defense made of claw and tooth.
The tremor ceased after a minute or two, the remanents of the golems earlier had returned to the fissure. Silence fell upon the ground between dragon and cultist, neither side making a move. A loud hiss drew eyes to the fissure once more as hot gas escaped from deep within. The ground shook with greater force, so great that even the ferals wings snapped on instinct ready to take flight should more cracks open up beneath scaled feet. Lava erupted suddenly, arching high in the sky. Cultists fled from their positions as the unbearable heat made even the most fanatical re-consider safety over loyalty. The dragons remained, unflinching as molten rock bombs hammered the walls, lava landing on tough scale only to slide off with little harm. The pool forming began to take shape as cooling magma worked with upheaved stone, giving the castle residents a new foe.
This thing was made from earth both cooled and heated. Lava made for a ever shifting head and torso while long arms, dripping excess clawed the ground with rocken nails, leaving gouges in the land. Fiery yellow eyes glared at the dragons, while the lower half hissed and flowed like a molten sea of fire.
"Magmus! Tear down this doors! I wish to give their Queen a proper greeting!" Malefor called out.
The monster groaned and heaved forward, lurching toward the black gates. Ferals roared in defiance and took to the skies, dragon mages began chanting spells that would cool the lava and slow the elemental's attempts to enter. Fire was hurled from the sky taken dragons while a few spat more spherical shapen balls, which left small bursts of impact upon the monster. Voices chanting from the mages up high called down ice and water which upon striking the heated skin of the magma beast, incurred loud hissing and even louder snarls of discomfort. Magmus swatted at the ferals on high, their swift beating wings made for fast maneuvers making it hard to land a hit. Coupled with the bothersome mages slowing its progress, Magmus retalitated with a molten arsenal of lava, using its own body as ammunition. Those behind the ramparts took shelter as whistling lava projectile struck walls and the overhead earthen roofing above.
Malefor watched as his magma creation was being continually harrassed. Clicking his rotting tongue against the roof of his skull, the lich dragon merely watched as the fiery creation took a beating from its attackers. Sapphire also had taken note that despite the dark lich's creation, it really was gaining no ground on tearing open the gates.
"Umm... lord?" she asked hesitantly. A red orb in the eye socket focused on her with intent.
"Yesss?" he hissed.
"Begging pardon, but as great as your molten elemental is, its not making much progress on opening the gates."
"I am aware of this," Malefor replied,"I am merely gauging just how great their magical offensives are combined with their physical defense. A mere whelp's play after seeing with my own eyes."
"Sapphire." He hissed.
"Yes Lord?"
"Bring me Spyro."
She entered her carriage, key in scaled hand and unlocked the unconscious dragon's shackles. He groaned as Sapphire lifted him from the seat and took wing, carrying him to Malefor as he stood by, the snarls of Magmus becoming duller as it grew weaker from the continued onslaught.
"What are you planning to do?" Sapphire asked.
"Watch. Watch and understand a power that the Queen shall fear." He rumbled.
Gazing down at his captured prey, Malefor marveled at how helpess Spyro was. Battered, bruised and still unconscious, he would provide the catalyst that would drive his power even further and make him feared across these foreign lands. Dark power enveloped the dragon's body as he lay sprawled on Malefor's skeletal palm. Rising, the limp form dangled until he was at chest height to the lich, his other palm coming to enclose his enemy with the aura.
"Now my purple companion. Let us show these inhabitants what it means to truly wield power."
Runes began to carve themselves in the purple scales. Spyro jerked, his limbs, wings and tail twitched as dark power seared itself upon his scales. Grasping the orb which floated the small dragon, Malefor murmured in a strange tongue, the runes growing a blood red. Spyro's eyes snapped opened, his jaw followed as croaked breaths wracked his body. A blue aura snaked from his body, slithering its way towards Malefor. The lich eyes closed as he drew in a breath, his rotting form taking in the essence of his foe as he continued to thrash feebly against the spell's effects.
Sapphire was in awe. As Spyro eyes gazed helplessly towards the sky, his essence was giving life to Malefor. Muscle, skin and scale covered exposed bone, tattered wing membranes became whole once more. The rotting stench fades as the musk scent of a male dragon replaced the stale air surrounding Malefor. The dragoness understood what was happening. Malefor was stealing Spyro's life essence to fully complete his tattered appearance.
When the spell finished, the dragoness was looking upon Malefor before his untimely demise. Metallic purple scales gave off a sheen, great wings once torn seem to fill the skies as the appendages unfurled. Muscles tensed as they carried great weight while a long tail swayed in contentment. Malefor's eyes opened, the red orbs replaced by yellow pupils as slitted irises gazed at the gates in question. He released Spyro, the body falling until two cultists snatched it before it struck the ground.
"He still lives my lord... just barely." One hissed.
"Impressive. Though I expect none the less from my successor." Rumbled Malefor's reply.
Waving them away the dark dragon strode forward, his followers quickly shifting to the sides as their great lord, now complete took to the front lines. Magmus was nothing but cooled rock and brittle blackened lava, the last of its power fading from a few embers still smoldering in the heap of its body. The ferals landed in time to see a new being take to the field, a foreign dragon who seemed to appear out of thin air. They roared their challenge, gouts of fire spewed from their open muzzles as their talons raked the ground, challenging this dragon who was foolish enough to threaten their Queen.
Malefor regarded their threats as mere inconveniences. The ferals crouched ready to spring forward as their new foe unfurled his great wings. Jaw parted with teeth bared, they launched upon Malefor as the great dragon coiled his head and neck back, not moving to avoid their oncoming assault.
Snapping like a spring with his maw gaping, a blinding flash of lightning erupted from his muzzle. Zig zagging off each ferals, their screams of agony were silenced as the end of this spell struck the gates, ripping the onyx doors off their hinges and sending those inside scrambling for cover. Above those either fled for cover or held on tightly as the tremors rocked the walls, the after effects of the lightning were noted by gouges of its jagged path along the walls. Some grew sickened as the smell of burned flesh met their sensitive noses, the charred remains of the ferals close enough to the blast lay in smoldering heaps around Malefor.
"Now where were we? Ahh, yes." He rumbled.
The cultists rushed forward with fanatical glee, the sea of mindless soldiers poured into the gaping hole where the doors once stood. Snarls, roars, muffled shouts and cries echoed from within as the kingdom sought to defend itself against the intrusion. Malefor strolled casually inside, the yellow eyes glancing around as dragon fought with their fellow kin along with griffon and pony alike. Some of the more hardy dared to stand in his way only to be swatted aside with a back stroke of a fore leg or the striking of the tail. Those who took to the air found themselves moving targets as rock debris became earthen projectiles, the sounds of scale and flesh meeting with stone beneath the murmuring of the great threat's rumbling voice golems emerged behind him. Shambling along, these ground sentries kept any who were foolish enough to strike from behind while Sapphire, the unconscious Spyro and two of the cultists who carried him, made their way towards the throne room.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Queen sensed the skirmish at the entrance gate. She shuddered slightly as her senses were still recovering, having felt the impact of the elemental blast. The intruder who cast it aura was different. Gone was the sickening presence of a lich dragon and his minions attempting to gain entry into the kingdom. In its place was a feeling of strange foreign power, one that demanded to be feared and strike terror into the hearts of the weak. What sent another shudder was Kel returning shortly after the cultists invaded: the lich known as Malefor somehow sapped the living essence out of a small dragon, using its aura to renew his own tattered corpse. Such forbidden magic could only have been from those who perished centuries before. Unfortunate this Malefor learned it while in Tartarus. How else would a lich gain new life by robbing another living being's essence then learning from those who created such a spell to begin with?
Head shifting to where he stood, she was rewarded with Kel's presence. Part anxiety mixed with relief showed in her eyes that he was alive, despite the harsh element still singing along the outer walls. He was catching his breath from earlier, having bolted down the path as he and the others retreated, for fear of becoming potential targets.
"What news of the outside?," she mentally asked, knowing full well the answer.
"They have assaulted the main gate and are working their way to the throne, your majesty," Kel replied.
She remained silent before ushering another dragon who dropped scrolls of parchment at the young mage's feet.
"Take these and flee. I have requested those who live to evacuate the castle and take refuge. Be it under the watch of the griffons or the compassion of the Equestrians, I will not have more lives lost on my watch."
"Your majesty," Kel began in protest.
The great Dragon Queen merely rose and barely moved her head. He fell silent as the hidden passage that was leading the others to escape opened under her silent gesture.
"What will I tell the two sisters?" He murmured.
"That Draconis has fallen. The enemy has taken the Queen hostage and the Outsider will plan to strike at their borders." Was her reply.
Stuffing the scrolls in his carrying satchel, Kel could only nod before turning to flee like the rest. He hated leaving the Queen. Hated that he could never face those tough decision she faced, willing to give up their home rather then risk more lives. Then again, its why she ruled for so many centuries and commanded much respect from the other kingdoms. Glancing one last time, the young mage clutched his robes before disappearing into the black void of the path. It closed with the scraping of the rocken wall before it melded once more with the rest of the throne. All that remain were to elite ferals and a handful of dragon soldiers. The scuffling, shouts and snarls mixed in with fanatical cries echoed outside the doors. The Queen turned to face the only entrance and stood proud and tall. If she was going to be captured, then she would have it done with such an imposing sight, her would-be captures would think otherwise.
The doors were slammed opened, a sea of mad cultists rushed in, their blank eyes fixated on the Queen. They rushed with the intention of taking her by sheer numbers alone. The Dragon Queen eyed them as they were no more then bothersome ants before she hissed a incantation under her breath. The cries of Malefor died like a weakening wind as limpless bodies collapsed where they once stood. The first wave lay unresponsive, their forms like scattered leaves around a tree. The remaining stayed back by the doorway, reluctant now to press their attack. Foolish and blind yes, but not dumb.
"Come forth abomination! I can smell your stench from behind your peons!" The Queen bellowed, every living creature in the room clutching their ears in pain from the might of her voice.
Heavy footsteps sounded as the followers parted. The elite ferals crouched with a audible hiss, silenced quickly be their Queen's command as the great purple dragon entered. Great wings folded to make room, Malefor appeared casually as he stepped among the fallen around his great feet, his yellow eyes gleaming as they fixated on such a large dragoness. She was easily double his size, a great female that one would tread carefully around lest they arouse her anger. Instead, he regarded her as a potential for his grand scheme.
"Its not often a male such as myself stands before so great a female such as yourself. Females are so hard to come by and even harder to keep once located. I am humbled your majesty." He gave a light bow to her.
The Queen snorted, twin plums of smoke rising from her nostrils,"Spare me your words, deceiver. You did not come to woo me with your serpent tongue like you have done with Sapphire. What is your excuse for daring to attack your kin?"
"Kin? Kin? Kin...," Malefor rumbled,"I have no kin here. None of these pitiful meatbags you call dragons are worthy to be even considered kin to me. I attack because of one simple goal: You. You will provide the catalyst I desire that will bring me the one thing I hunger for."
The Queen's wings rustled against her sides as her eyes narrowed,"And what does the lich hunger for?"
"Avalar."
"Avalar? Never heard of this land."
Malefor chuckled,"You never have. For a dragoness who supposed to know everything scurrying around in her kingdom, one would think dragons that don't exactly fit among your kin would have been a dead giveaway. No, Avalar is where I came from and it is where I shall return. With your help of course."
"And what makes you think, the Dragon Queen would help you?" She hissed preparing to attack much to her guards surprise.
"Because one way or another, I WILL have you." Malefor replied.
A plum of fire, bluer then the skies above them and richer then any color of water, poured forth from her gaping maw. Onlookers watched as Malefor was engulfed in her flames, his visage disappearing beneath the flames, the heat causing many to retreat as the ground where he stood began to melt beneath the intense fires. The Queen glanced around, gazing at the cultists as they watched silently. None cried out in fear as their leader was burning, nor did any flee. Something did not fit with this picture.
"Fire... you DARE to burn me with fire?" A dark silouette appeared among the flames. The blue fire twisted, coiled then slowly died away, leaving Malefor standing in the middle, both forelegs out as he wove the flames around his body with ease.
"Fire submits before me." His yellow eyes began to glow.
"Water trembles before my presence." A thrumming power started gather around the dragon, his form slowly growing.
"The earth kneels before my will." A dark energy enveloped Malefor turning his scales dark shadow as those eyes fixated on the Queen.
"The very air crackles to my obedience." The dark being glared as the ferals took to front in a last attempt to protect their queen.
"Your essence will drive my fury, my rage, my very HATRED into this world! And with the tattered remains I will drive home my vengeance into Avalar and re-claim it once MORE!!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Kel, along with a small group of refugees had taken flight. He was riding on the back of a feral, when the power nearly knocked them out of the sky. Struggling to keep from falling, the mage looked back at their castle, to see a dark energy erupt from the top and pour into the sky, darkening the grey clouds into a pitch blackness while lightning and the roar of thunder crashed around the structure of the castle. He shuddered uncontrollably, the aura almost seem to freeze his very soul.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
In Canterlot, Celestia along with Luna, the mane six and a few of her military generals were pouring over the various maps of the borders Equestria had with Draconis and Gryf. Cynder was with them, when the alicorn sisters paused mid sentence. Both shuddered as the young dragoness broke away from the group and looked out the stain glass window towards the horizon.
"Your... highness?" One general asked, puzzled by the princess's reactions.
"Luna do you..."
"Yes sister mine. I can feel it. The power emanating chills my bones."
Both glanced at Cynder as she looked on,"It begins again." She murmured.
"What begins?" Celestia asked.
"The beginning of the end."
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2927844 i'm going to pretend you didn't say that and you are here because you're a spyro fan
This is an amazing story, and I have seen you surprisingly improve from the near start of this story. You've better description, punctuation... everything! I'm jealous! I wish that I could be such a skilled writer as you! shame that it's on hiatus... really, I love this story, and knowing it could stop at any moment...
By the way, about the moving and stuff, just pause the story until it's all come into action! don't let the pressure of the writing bug you, because it'll really get to you, whether your working or being schooled, yadda yadda. I would've taken a LOOOOONG vacation, if I were you. Taking a break on the story will ease thee mind and you will have a chance to reconsider your thoughts on the whole 'hiatus' scheme. I bid you good luck.
YOU'RE ALIVE????
I think I'll like this crossover.
The legend of Spyro had great lore. Very mediocre game play, but great lore.
(Agree or disagree, anyone? We can have a little debate)
Okay. Quick evaluation.
Story wise, it's really a well written piece of work. Characters seem true to their canon behavior, and the story is very tense and gripping.
However, it is also a very exhausting read. You have a lot of grammar and spelling mistakes in each chapter, confusing me as to what you were trying to say and making me double back to make sure I read something correctly. Granted, much better than the majority of any form of online writing, but it ruins immersion when I have to reread the word "off" to know you actually meant "of".
Spell check doesn't cat every word, you know. Always cheek your paragraphs twice.
Your paragraph formatting is on the right track, but such massive chunks make it hard for a reader to pick out their place within them. You would do very well to break those down into smaller portions, as it's not only easier to keep track of what a reader has already read, it is also easier on the eyes.
In example, notice how none of these paragraphs have exceeded four lines.
Most blatantly, however, is that you seem to forget just which tense you're working in when writing the story. I noticed numerous times that you would write in present tense when the majority of your writing is supposed to document these events as though they had occurred in the past.
All these formatting, grammar, spelling and tense mistakes make this a very difficult read, so I'm kind of sad that I cannot follow this because it's so exhausting. Clearly you have your fans, but there is something you NEED to know.
A great story means NOTHING without readability. Even if you wrote an epic that was groundbreaking in fiction everywhere, nobody would wish to read it if they had to slog through eye-straining format and bad spelling.
You need an editor, dude!
FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!
nice to see you back I really like this story
Your Eye In The Sky Star Shooter
3077763
I fell in love with Spyro when Insomniac Games first created him. Was bummed when they dropped him in favor of Ratchet n Clank. Watched Universal Games toss the poor dragon around with a meh game on the GC though the GBA versions were not too bad.
Then fell in love all over again when the Legend trilogy came out. I do agree though, the Skylander just does not do it for me or give him any good dues.
A new chapter?
>>>"Fire submits before me." His yellow eyes began to glow.
"Water trembles before my presence." A thrumming power started gather around the dragon, his form slowly growing.
"The earth kneels before my will." A dark energy enveloped Malefor turning his scales dark shadow as those eyes fixated on the Queen.
"The very air crackles to my obedience." The dark being glared as the ferals took to front in a last attempt to protect their queen. >>>
Blah blah blah, the tirade of a thousand wanna-be gods, all of whom I slaughtered like fetuses in a Planned Parenthood Clinic.
You wanna god-mode? You gotta beat da Troll King first!
Now face my ULTIMATE ATTACK!!
welcome back and please continue!
Well shit... there goes any chance they had. Really not sure how Spyro survived that. The cost of life is always a life. Realistically Spyro shouldn't have survived and if he did he'd have no power whatsoever. It wasn't magic or anything like that that was taken it was his flippin life force. Buuuut, I doubt your gonna do that. You'll probably pull some bullshit out and he'll end up right as rain in the end. Or maybe you'll find someone to give their life-force to Spyro and sacrifice themselves in doing so.